This application claims the priority of German Patent Application 101 022 43.3, filed Jan. 19, 2001, the disclosure of which is expressly incorporated herein.
The invention relates to an apparatus for generating and distributing electrical power in a vehicle.
An apparatus for electrical power generation using a fuel cell system in a vehicle is known from the application, was not published previously, with the German reference DE 19954306.2. The fuel cell voltage network is a high-voltage network and, in this arrangement, is connected via a DC/DC converter to a second high-voltage network, which contains an energy store. The energy store is connected via protective switches to the DC/DC converter and to ground. At least one low-voltage network, which contains an energy store, can be connected via a further DC/DC converter to the fuel cell voltage network.
Particularly in vehicles, the energy store in the second high-voltage network is subject to stringent requirements with regard to insulation and energy store management, in order to protect, for example, people, the energy stores and the low-voltage electronics. Additional components such as battery protective switches are required. In a vehicle, high-voltage energy stores represent a special case, which is associated with increased cost, space requirement and weight.
The object of the present invention is to develop the apparatus described initially such that personnel safety and the safety of parts of the vehicle are ensured, with simplified apparatus.
The advantage of the invention is the lack of a requirement for any additional protective switches, via which the high-voltage energy store is connected to the DC/DC converter and to ground. This leads to a simplified and compact circuit design, since fewer components are used. The weight of, and the space required by, the arrangement are reduced.
Another advantageous feature is that low-cost, low-voltage energy stores can be used.
It is self-evident that the features mentioned above and the features which are still to be explained in the following text can be used not only in the respectively stated combination but also in other combinations or on their own, without departing from the scope of the present invention.
Further advantages and refinements of the invention will become evident from the further claims and from the description.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the invention when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.